Hi everybody, welcome to another Friday Fuel! We know everyone has been waiting for this moment all week. We’ve got some great stuff in here for you to read over, everything from a super dangerous but nice hotel, sailing to islands that were previously banned, and a whole lot more.

Why Fly When You Can Sail

With restrictions on American travel to Cuba slowly starting to lift, travel companies are scrambling to meet demand and prepare for the rush of Americans wanting to travel to this previously off-limits island just 130 miles off Key West, Florida.

Several companies have announced that they are planning on bringing Ferries to Miami in order to take visitors to and from the island. So far, 4 companies are confirmed. This is a great benefit for transplants from Cuba wishing to visit family or Cubans wishing to get supplies from Florida. People can only carry so much with them on a plane and with airline ticket prices very high, it’s cost prohibitive to a large group of people.

Not too many details have been provided, but a ferry ride to Cuba will probably be 1 night trip in good weather. One operator has said that they will use 200-500 passenger capacity ferries at a cost of just $300 round trip.

Another company, based out of Key West, is saying that they will offer ferry service for just $169, an incredible bargain for anyone wanting to visit Cuba.

Welcome To Check-In & Background Check

A Motel 6, and several other Warwick, RI hotel chains, are reporting their daily guest list to the local police department. The catch? Hotel guests aren’t exactly aware that their whereabouts are being reported to the po-po. The deal, struck between local authorities and the hotel chains, was hashed out after a long string of criminal activity in the area.

The hotel reports the full guest list to the local police department daily after all check-ins are complete and the police then check those lists against a database for any outstanding warrants. Several arrests have already been made and the hotels are going even further to deter criminal activity by changing hotel policies, like raising the check-in age from 18 to 21.

Some argue that this new undisclosed hotel policy is a violation of human privacy rights while others praise the hotel chain for keeping guest safety at the forefront. What do you think? Would you be okay with a hotel giving away your private information to the police without your knowledge or consent?

Link Lightning Round

The Best Vacation Benefits Ever? – $15 Million later, no one can dispute that the 4-day company sponsored vacation in France that Tiens Group offered over half of it’s 12,000 employees is a pretty spectacular gesture. Get the scoop on this generous company outing and why they made such an investment.

No Soup, Er, Rentals For You – One city is cracking down on the popular AirBnB Service – No vacation rentals under allowed under a month in duration. Find out which city is setting rental limits and why.

Trying To Compensate For Something? – Larry Ellison, the 5th richest billionaire in the world, recently purchased his own Hawaiian island for an easy $300 million back in 2012. Now, the billionaire has closed 97% of the island’s hotels for renovations in hopes of making Lanai the first 100% green community. Good for you, Glen Coco.